A COMPETITION that gives new meaning to the phrase "nectar points" has taken place at a village hall near Petersfield.

The Petersfield and District Beekeepers' Association held their showpiece event in Hawkley last Saturday.

It's been a terrible season for bees and their keepers due to the combination of too much rain and not enough sunlight, pollen and nectar.

But the Annual Honey Show was still the bees knees and offered a tasty display of 164 entries from 32 members in the main hall.

National honey judge Hazel Blackburn had the enviable job of tasting the honey and the contents of a solitary bottle of mead.

She noted and congratulated the growing number of new keepers before presenting the Blue Riband for 'best in show' to Pippa Barker.

Mary Harvey also judged a cooking competition for the use of honey as a key ingredient in cakes, biscuits and other foodstuffs.

Peter Foster was the overall winner in the confectionery class, while his sister also claimed a prize in the honey class.

Runner-up Hilary Hayward, judge Hazel Blackburn, beekeepers' association secretary Anne Ballard and judge Eric Piper are pictured at the show.